The Welsh Cheese Company – a small business founded by Tom Pinder, based in Taffs Well – has won the inaugural APC Growth Award for Wales.
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The artisan cheese supplier was selected by a panel of judges to have demonstrated the most growth, community engagement and innovation across APC’s network of small business customers in Wales.
The company’s cheese is distributed by APC Overnight depot Western Couriers Limited.
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In a strong nomination from Western Couriers Limited, The Welsh Cheese Company stood out for the way its expanding premises have been used to support direct selling to customers and enable UK-wide growth.
The community spirit at the heart of the business was also something the judges applauded, as the business acts as a curator for products by fellow Welsh artisan businesses.
Tom Pinder, Founder of The Welsh Cheese Company, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have won the first APC SME Growth Award for Wales – it is the perfect reward for all of the hard work that the team has put into the business. Our partnership with Western Couriers and the APC network has given us so much more exposure to a wider customer base, allowing us to get our fantastic cheeses to all corners of the UK.
“We may still be a small business, but we are growing rapidly, with a move to new premises in the next month or so. We are excited to see what the rest of 2019 will bring for The Welsh Cheese Company!”
Steve Ledger, Commercial Director at Western Couriers Limited, said:
“We are absolutely delighted that The Welsh Cheese Company has won this award – it is thoroughly deserved. They have shown how a local SME can grow from strength to strength with dedication, a solid business strategy and a quality logistics set up.
“We’re extremely proud of our partnership with the business. It is one of constant communication to ensure that we can help them grow, as shown by the way in which they have embraced some our recent innovations, such as the new E-Card, APC Expect and APC PinPoint services.”
Jonathan Smith, CEO of APC, said:
“The Growth Awards celebrate SMEs that are growing, innovating and engaging with their local communities. The Welsh Cheese Company is a great example of a thriving small business, with a great product and entrepreneurial spirit.
“The fact that it is promoting products from a variety of local sources, while growing its business sustainably, makes it exactly the sort of customer that we love to work with at APC.”
APC is the UK’s largest independent delivery network, specialising in SMEs from a range of sectors, and is made up of independently run, local depots.
The APC Growth Awards were launched this year to recognise and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirt of the SME customers across the APC network.
Wild Harbour Fishing Company, based in Hayle, Cornwall, claimed the overall national prize; and nine small businesses were awarded regional winners.
The awards were judged by Jonathan Smith, CEO of APC; Richard Alvin, Group MD of Capital Business Media; and Richard Butler, West Midlands Director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
